On December 10, 2025, UNESCO officially added India's Deepavali festival to its Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. The joyful announcement came at a special meeting held at Delhi’s historic Red Fort. This event marked India's first time hosting the Intergovernmental Committee for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage (ICH). The 20th session of the panel took place from December 8 to 13. As the news broke, the crowd cheered with chants of 'Vande Mataram' and 'Bharat Mata ki Jai'. With this addition, Deepavali joins a prestigious list of 16 Indian cultural treasures recognized by UNESCO. These include the famous Kumbh Mela, Kolkata’s Durga Puja, Gujarat’s Garba dance, yoga, Vedic chanting, and the traditional Ramlila performance of the Ramayana epic. This step highlights India’s vibrant cultural heritage and its global cultural significance.